


Middle School Dance Team

by ElliotsArchives



Series: A.C.E Interactions Series [1]
Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band), ASTRO (Band), GOT7
Genre: Byeongkwan Centric, Byeongkwan just wanted a nice night out with his friends, Gen, No one listens to JinJin, Park Jinwoo | Jin Jin is a Good Hyung, Rap Battles, Underground Idol Rap Club, Yugyeom really shouldn't drink and go places
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-07 07:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13430088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElliotsArchives/pseuds/ElliotsArchives
Summary: Take A.C.E's all-rounder, ASTRO's leader, GOT7's maknae, add some alcohol and a visit to a secret underground rap scene for the most famous of idols, and what do you get? One hell of a night.





	Middle School Dance Team

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on two completely different, unrelated things I thought about and really wanted to write:  
> 1) A conversation with a friend about idol rappers having some kind of underground scene where they pit themselves against each other for fun.  
> 2) Jason saying he went to middle school with JinJin and Yugyeom, and craving interactions between some of my favorite groups.  
> So this giant fun mess was born. I hope you enjoy it~

It all started with a text.

A.C.E had just returned from KWAVE2 in Malaysia, grateful to still have a little time to themselves before they'd be back off to filming for the shows. Byeongkwan was more than a little sad they couldn't spend more time in Malaysia. The excitement of performing their first ever concert (even if it wasn't solo) still buzzed in his veins. He was itching to do something, burn off the excess energy, but he wasn't sure how. Locking himself in the studio and perfecting a routine was usually how he'd do it, but Jun had instructed the members to just take it easy once they'd returned. They spent enough time exhausting themselves for Mixnine and Unit and the leader worried for them pushing themselves.

Byeongkwan mindlessly scrolled through his SNS at the small dining table, leg bouncing. He'd wanted to go out, relax a bit with his members, but that wasn't happening. Donghun had gone grocery shopping with Sehyoon and Yuchan, while Junhee was taking a well needed nap in the shared bedroom. He knew he couldn't always demand the members' attention, so he just let them be. But his boredom was really getting the better of him. Distracting himself wasn't working very well, either.

Halfway through some article about a senior group's newest comeback, Byeongkwan's phone buzzed and a little notification popped up. It was a chat message. His brow furrowed. He didn't recognize the ID as he opened it.

_[7:05PM]  
(New chat with @park_jinjin!)_

**JinJin:** Hello!  
**JinJin:** This is A.C.E's Jason right?

_(Add @park_jinjin as a contact?)_

Byeongkwan sat up suddenly. Park JinJin? Like ASTRO's JinJin?

_(Saved JinJin as a contact!)_

**BK:** Jinwoo hyung?

 **JinJin:** Kwannie!!  
**JinJin:** Long time no talk!

 **BK:** Yeah, haven't spoken since middle school  
**BK:** How'd you get my ID?

 **JinJin:** I have connections~  
**JinJin:** Saw your broadcast where you mentioned me and thought "why not?"

 **BK:** Oh wow I didn't actually think you'd see that

 **JinJin:** Hard not to when fans tweet anything remotely about you at you hahah

 **BK:** True enough I suppose

A commotion at the apartment door made Byeongkwan look up. Oh, the others had returned, arms full of bags. Yuchan was complaining loudly while Donghun set down his bags and began putting things up. As soon as the eldest noticed Byeongkwan seated at the table, he spoke up.

"Come help put up the groceries," Donghun said simply. Byeongkwan nodded and pocketed his phone, conversation abandoned. He helped with putting a lot of the dry food into pantries, Yuchan helping place anything Byeongkwan couldn't quite reach. Yuchan did most of the talking, like usual, telling Byeongkwan all about how he'd seen an ad for Mixnine on the way home, or about the cute stray cat that had scared Sehyoon, just about every small detail to their outing. Sehyoon didn't say much, a little too busy trying to sneak a bit of a snack here or there, which Byeongkwan gladly turned a blind eye to. The trio had put away the last of the groceries when Donghun pulled out a large pot and started filling it with water. Byeongkwan wasn't sure what he planned to cook, but since his job seemed to be done, he slipped back into the living room.

He noticed his phone had several new texts from JinJin as he settled on the couch, Donghun's humming from the kitchen a pleasant white noise.

 _[7:13PM]_  
**JinJin:** ahh congrats on debuting though!  
**JinJin:** I know it's a lot of hard work but it's totally worth it  
**JinJin:** I checked out videos from your trip in Malaysia - I'm really impressed!!

 _[7:15PM]_  
**JinJin:** Kwannie?

 _[7:18PM]_  
**JinJin:** Must've caught you at bad time~  
**JinJin:** You just got back after all  
**JinJin:** Wanted to see if you wanted to go get drinks or something, but if you can't, I get it

 **BK:** No!!  
**BK:** I mean I'd love to catch up, just had to help with groceries  
**BK:** You wanna get drinks?

 **JinJin:** Yeah!  
**JinJin:** I know a great bar, pretty lowkey and shouldn't be too far  
**JinJin:** How about it?

 **BK:** Like, right now?

 **JinJin:** Well in a little bit, but yeah tonight!

"Who're you texting, hyung?" Yuchan draped himself over Byeongkwan's shoulder suddenly, peering at the phone screen.

"Old friend," Byeongkwan said, sending JinJin a quick ' _lemme check_.' "Hey, Donghun hyung! Can I go out with a friend tonight?"

Donghun, who was currently wrestling a half eaten snack cake away from Sehyoon (he was the worst at breaking their diet regimens), looked towards the youngest members. "What friend?"

"Buddy from middle school who wants to catch up," Byeongkwan shoved Yuchan lightly off his shoulder, who whined in retort. It wasn't a lie. JinJin was someone from middle school. He just figured it'd be easier not to mention that friend was a popular senior group's leader now.

Donghun normally would've contemplated on a member leaving alone longer, but instead he shrugged and replied with, "Sure, just don't stay out too late."

Byeongkwan beamed as he rushed to the apartment foyer, grabbing a hat and mask (it was practically required they wear the combo outside the apartment). Shouting a last goodbye, he exited A.C.E's apartment, legs almost immediately jogging as he did. He even took the stairs, hoping to finally relieve the excited energy. He texted JinJin again before he made it out of the complex.

 _[7:22PM]_  
**BK:** Alright, I just left my apartment  
**BK:** Where's this bar you had in mind?

_

JinJin hadn't been kidding when he'd said the bar was 'lowkey'. Byeongkwan had had to resort to using Google Maps to find the place, and he wasn't sure if that because of JinJin's directions or because it was so out of the way.

It was a cozy, old fashioned bar with faint illuminated signs, and a warmth Byeongkwan could appreciate in the winter. He flipped his hood down and scanned the bar, only noticing a few patrons were even there.

"Byeongkwan!" The boy turned to the source of his name, someone dressed as sketchy as himself with a face mask and sunglasses tucked away in a corner, arm waving to his friend. "Over here!"

JinJin stood to meet Byeongkwan in a hug as he made his way to the back. They still barely had a height difference, and Byeongkwan could feel how fit JinJin was under his jacket. The ASTRO leader looked very different nowadays than back in school, all dyed hair and sharp clothes, but the ever familiar smile present under the face mask was still the same.

"Long time no see, Jinwoo hyung," Byeongkwan smiled as he slid into the booth across from JinJin. "Or should I call you 'sunbae'?"

JinJin's bright laughter rang out. He removed his shades and tucked them away in his pocket. "As nice as that would be, just Jinwoo is fine."

"Whatever you say, just Jinwoo," Byeongkwan shrugged with a smirk. JinJin - Jinwoo - swatted at him playfully, both of them laughing again. It was then a bartender came over with a platter of shots, placing it between the two not so conspicuous idols. He didn't even bat an eye and Jinwoo thanked the man.

"So what's the occasion?" Byeongkwan inquired, taking a shot for himself. Though he and his own members didn't drink that often, it's not like they never had. Byeongkwan wondered about ASTRO's drinking habits, their age range much younger than A.C.E's.

Jinwoo knocked back his first shot easy. "Ah, just need some space from my members, little time out of the dorm. Ya know? You ever get like that with your group?"

Byeongkwan really couldn't say. He'd spent the better portion of the last few years in the constant presence of his members. Recently they'd been spending more and more time apart than he was used to, thanks to the damn shows they were on. If he was being honest, Byeongkwan actually missed being around them so much. Even if it was just knowing that the apartment held the others, all attending to their own things, rather than sleeping in a bed surrounded by near strangers and cameras. Even if they met up between filming, or when he would catch a few moments alone with Donghun or Sehyoon, or their entire trip to Malaysia, Byeongkwan missed that... familiarity. That simple feeling of being around his members, his friends. He wasn't even drunk, yet he felt all his recent feelings heavy on his tongue, ready to spill if he wasn't careful.

So Byeongkwan opted out of answering and followed with his own shot. The burn reminded him of the now, of the present.

Their conversation was light. Jinwoo talked about being a leader in a way that was reminiscent of Junhee. Byeongkwan talked about being one of the youngest members and getting his way, which Jinwoo whined his youngest did as well. They both spoke animatedly about dancing, a passion they'd shared since middle school, of difficult choreographers and routines they still knew. What few other patrons the bar had eventually filtered out, leaving just the two idols occupying the whole place. Jinwoo was the midst of telling a story about a cicada that was terrorizing Fantagio's office when he suddenly checked his phone. He seemed to be texting someone, brows furrowing up after a second.

"Everything alright?" Byeongkwan lazily stirred a shot in hand, admiring how the light caught on the liquid.

"Yeah, sorry," Jinwoo waved his hand dismissively. "I may have invited someone else, but not only is he taking forever, he seems to have gotten lost."

Byeongkwan downed his shot and rubbed his eyes. He was getting to that point of just tipsy enough but not quite drunk. "Yeah? Who'd you invite?"

"Good friend of ours," was all Jinwoo stated. Byeongkwan blanked on another common friend to them.

Jinwoo groaned dramatically, "He's literally on this street and he walked straight past the bar. No wonders his hyungs barely let him out of their sight."

Someone who was younger than them, then..?

The entrance to the bar opened suddenly and Byeongkwan looked up. A lanky, heavily dressed man with a mop of bright hair entered, blowing in his hands to warm them. He noticed where the pair of idols were seated quickly and made his way over to them. Pulling down his face mask, Byeongkwan finally recognized him.

" _Yugyeom_?"

"Hey there, Byeongkwan," Yugyeom's smile was bright. "Hi, Jinwoo."

"That's 'hyung', to you, kid," Jinwoo joked as he met Yugyeom in a hug. Yugyeom turned to Byeongkwan, who got his own squeeze from the taller man. Man, he knew Yugyeom had gotten talk over the years, but Jinwoo and himself were puny in comparison. He thought it was bad enough with Yuchan.

"Aren't I technically your senior?" Yugyeom asked as he slid in the booth beside Jinwoo. "You should be respecting me!"

Byeongkwan scoffed. "And here I thought you'd gotten humble."

Another round of healthy laughter rang out. Even if they hadn't seen each other in years, it was easy to slip back into a familiar dynamic. Byeongkwan passed out a shot for each of them.

"Sure you can handle it?" Byeongkwan teased Yugyeom as he handed him his.

"I've drank with my hyungs before, thank you very much," Yugyeom said. "I know what I'm doing."

"Ahh, but you're still a little baby," Jinwoo pitched at his cheeks, which caused Yugyeom to whine and push him away.

"Cheers to the middle school dance team!" Yugyeom smiled brightly and raised his glass.

They cheered and clinked their glasses together. Byeongkwan tried muffle his laughter at Yugyeom gagging as he downed the shot, but Jinwoo failed to contain his giggles. Byeongkwan finally burst as Yugyeom whined loudly, reminded of all the times in middle school they would mess with each other. He couldn't resist ruffling the youngest's hair to Yugyeom's increased annoyance.

_

"Hey, Jinwooie hyung," Yugyeom giggled, drawing out his words. His flushed face indicated his drunken state. "Jinwoo. Hey."

Jinwoo was stroking the giant maknae's hair while he rested on the older's shoulder. "Yes, 'Gyeomie?" Byeongkwan had quickly learned Yugyeom, did not in fact, understand his alcoholic limit. Though he and Jinwoo weren't doing that much better, at least they were still upright.

"You know what, what we should do," Yugyeom hiccuped out, and Jinwoo hummed in response. "We should take Kwannie to the, the, uhh... The underground."

Byeongkwan immediately perked up. "Underground?"

Yugyeom giggled again. "Yeah, he hasn't been yet, right Kwannie? It's so fun, we should go, and-" Jinwoo covered Yugyeom's mouth before he could say more.

"Woah, woah, what's he on about?" Byeongkwan looked expectedly at Jinwoo. Underground? What sort of underground?

"Nothing," Jinwoo said too fast, and then dropped his voice in a whisper at Yugyeom, "Yugyeom, keep _quiet_ -"

"Oh _come on_ , Jinwoo!" Byeongkwan pulled out his best whiny 'hyung please' voice. If it could break Donghun or Junhee, it could certainly work on Jinwoo. "What's the underground?"

Jinwoo was about to protest but quickly yelped instead, yanking his hand away from Yugyeom. The youngest had licked himself to freedom. Yugyeom leaned forward in excitement, eyes sparkling.

"The idol rap underground!" Yugyeom almost shouted. "It's like the actual rap underground, but exclusively for any rapper in the industry! Me and BamBam go all the time to watch battles and sometimes participate!"

"There's an idol rap underground?" Byeongkwan asked.

"Shush! Can you two be any louder?!" Jinwoo looked mildly panicked at the confession. "Yes, there's an underground scene for idol rappers, but we aren't suppose to talk about it, Yugyeom!"

Yugyeom was ignoring Jinwoo completely as he kept talking. "You should totally come with us, Byeongkwan! You're a rapper in your group, right? Then you're allowed to go!"

That was true enough. Byeongkwan filled the role of rapper for his group, along with Sehyoon, but he didn't feel like a proper rapper. He couldn't freestyle rap like he could with dance. But he couldn't deny his curiosity of an idol rapper underground.

Both younger idols mustered up their best puppy dog eyes at Jinwoo. It didn't take long to crack the eldest.

"Okay, fine! We can take Byeongkwan to see the underground," Jinwoo finally caved and Yugyeom gave a loud cheer. "But please listen to me when we're there, alright?"

"Sure thing, hyung," Byeongkwan nodded an Yugyeom copied him.

Jinwoo rubbed his temples. "And I thought my maknaes were bad..." He waved down the bartender. "Check please!"

_

The trio ended up taking a taxi a couple blocks away from where the 'underground' supposedly was. Yugyeom was bouncing with energy (and from alcohol) the entire ride, while Jinwoo strictly said Byeongkwan couldn't mention this to his other members. Secrecy was vital about this kinds of things, yadda yadda, Byeongkwan was already tuning Jinwoo's ramblings out. He was much more interested in Yugyeom's excited chatter about his own visits to the underground with his hyungs.

As they walked the rest of the way, Byeongkwan noticed he didn't recognize this part of the city. He rarely left the apartment outside of filmings and trips to the studio or store, so it wasn't that surprising.

Jinwoo led them both to a stairwell between two buildings that led to the lower door. Byeongkwan thought of Beat's studio and office being similar. He stopped them both at the top, mostly Yugyeom, before they could rush down the stairs.

"There's a few rules you need to keep in mind while we're here," Jinwoo stared at Byeongkwan as he spoke. "Follow them, and everything should be fine."

When Byeongkwan nodded, he continued; "Rule one, don't give your real name or even your stage name. Most idols are here to get some space away from our onstage images, so if you do recognize anyone, don't say their actual names. It's part anonymity, part respect.

"Rule two, don't make eye contact with anyone. Some might take it as a challenge, so unless you're going into a battle, which you're _not_ , don't do it.

"And rule three, face masks stay on, no matter what. Has to do with the anonymity again, and also in case of paparazzi," Jinwoo finished and he pushed Yugyeom's almost dead weight off him.

"Anything else?" Byeongkwan asked as Yugyeom draped on him instead. "Any other warnings or precautions?"

Jinwoo mused his question for a moment, looking between the two of them, and spoke up, "Stick near me so you don't get lost. And don't talk to anyone that I'm not already talking to."

Seemed easy enough. And incredibly sketchy. What an exciting side to idol life he would've never known otherwise.

Jinwoo started down the stairwell, Byeongkwan guiding Yugyeom behind him. At the base of the stairs was a metal door, and Byeongkwan could feel the music thrumming on the other side. Jinwoo pulled up his face mask and gestured for the other two to do the same. Yugyeom also took the chance to steal Byeongkwan's hat and covered his own, much brighter hair. Then Jinwoo gave three knocks on the door and waited.

It cracked just a sliver and someone spoke through it. "How many?"

"One participate, two viewers," Jinwoo stated clearly. "Participating is Star."

"Viewer, 97 Young," Yugyeom said pressing closer to Byeongkwan's side.

"Viewer, um..." Byeongkwan tried to think of something. Not his stage name, but something he could identify with. "Injong." It almost sounded like a question.

"Come on in," the door swung all the way open, and the trio entered.

It looked like a regular club at first glance, numerous people filling the space, music blasting through the high speakers. Maybe not music as so much as just a heavy beat. The crowd blurred together, all obstructing their faces, be it with face masks and glasses or hats. Byeongkwan stayed as close to Jinwoo and Yugyeom as possible, who both navigated effortless through the crowd. Jinwoo found a small table near a far wall that was unoccupied. It had a good view of a large, currently empty stage Byeongkwan figured was for the battles.

"97 Young?" Jinwoo questioned when they settled into the seats.

"Me and BamBam use '97 Young and Rich' whenever we come here," Yugyeom explained with a small shrug. "And I'm the younger half of us."

"And Injong?" Jinwoo turned to Byeongkwan.

"It's the name of my cactus. Couldn't think of anything else," he answered. "What about your name? Star seems pretty... Normal."

"Well, ASTRO's thing 'Wanna be your star!' So it fits," Jinwoo said. Couldn't argue with that.

The heavy music abruptly cut off and the once flashing lights of the club dimmed. The only thing left illuminated was the stage, and Byeongkwan and the others began focusing on it. The crowd also settled, the room's silence giving off a completely different vibe.

A figure dressed head to toe in flashy clothes walked on stage, carelessly swinging around a mic by the chord. Byeongkwan waited with batted breath for something to happen, unsure of what to expect. Was she the MC? Undoubtedly she was a rapper herself. When she reached the center, she pressed the mic to her clothed mouth, smile visible with the way her eyes crinkled.

"We all know the drill," an unmistakable female voice spoke, dripping with amusement. "Let's get some battles started, shall we? See what it means to be a rapper in this industry."

The crowd exploded, breaking any semblance of the once quiet air. Byeongkwan was impressed by the sheer energy of the place. Beside him, Yugyeom bounced in his seat while Jinwoo stayed focused on the stage.

"First match of the night!" The MC shouted above the noise. A slip of paper was in her hand, and she raised it above her head as she read it. But first, she groaned. "Man, you'd think as rapper we'd have a better time thinking up clever names." The crowd laughed along before the MC actually announced the first rap battle.

"A tag team match between rookies rising through the ranks - CB and J.ONE versus the Drought Duo!"

Two pairs of rappers walked from both sides of the stage towards the center. Each carried a confidence Byeongkwan thought was impressive, and he noticed they all looked rather... Young. The MC had stated they were rookies, but Byeongkwan couldn't tell who they were.

"DJ! Give us a beat!" A different, louder rhythm came through the speakers a moment later, and the MC looked between the participants. "Remember, freestyle only, and no switching to your opponent until both teammates have gone. We all set here?"

The four rappers nodded. Byeongkwan noticed they only had a single microphone between each pair.

"CB and J.ONE, you two start," the MC pointed at them.

Several beats passed in anticipation. Then, J.ONE pressed the mic to his mouth, and spat complete fire. Byeongkwan's jaw nearly hit the table. His flow and freestyle were really impressive, and he was a _rookie_? Beside him, his partner bobbed his head until the mic was throw at him, CB picking up with an accented voice and a few English words. Byeongkwan could barely translate them in his head fast enough to make sense.

"Ah, I thought they seemed familiar," Yugyeom suddenly said beside him.

"You know 'em?" Byeongkwan asked.

"Yeah. They're newer labelmates of mine," Yugyeom smiled as he continued watching. "They're cool."

"No duh," Byeongkwan turned his attention back to the match right as CB finished his own verse, passing it along to his opponents. A few beats passed before the Drought Duo started up, immediately bouncing off each other every line. Byeongkwan was blown away. They were _seriously good_. All of them were.

Byeongkwan then became hyperaware of how out of place he was. Only one match in, with supposed rookies, and he could already feel he didn't live up to the rapper title he held. Reciting practiced lyrics is one thing, but this was rapping in its rawest, most untamed state. Every idol here, he thought as he looked around the encouraging crowd, was filled with that raw passion and talent for the medium. Even Jinwoo and Yugyeom were more of proper rappers than him, but maybe that was more to their experience.

He kept looking through the crowd, his curiosity of the idols' identities growing. Just how many of his seniors was Byeongkwan currently in the same room as? How many would he get to see live, unhinged, and in their element tonight? His members would be so jealous if he could tell them about this.

Then he caught a sharp pair of eyes watching him. Byeongkwan held the stare for a only a moment before snapping back forward. _Shit_.

Byeongkwan jumped as the crowd roared to life again. Oh, the tag team battle had ended. Yugyeom was howling and clapping obnoxiously, and Jinwoo looked just as excited. The eldest seemed to notice Byeongkwan's lack of enthusiasm and leaned passed Yugyeom.

"Hey, you good?" Jinwoo asked as the MC decided a winner with the crowd.

"Yeah," Byeongkwan lied, "just intimidated by these so called rookies, ya know?" Jinwoo laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder before leaning back away. Yugyeom's cheering loudly for his labelmates grew in volume as a winning team was decided. All the rappers shook hands before exiting the stage, crowd throwing compliments and encouragement to all of them.

Byeongkwan looked back to the crowd, most people focusing on the stage or chatting amongst themselves. He didn't see the eyes.

_

Several tag team matches proceeded, each surprising Byeongkwan more than the last. Every rapper had such a unique way to approach a verse, a different dynamic was displayed with their partners - it was better than any rehearsed performance he'd ever seen. The appeal was clear, especially for the rappers themselves.

Byeongkwan had also begun recognizing more and more of his seniors as they performed. With a little help from Yugyeom's occasional commentary.

"You can totally tell that's Mingyu and Vernon," Yugyeom casually explained the current match to Byeongkwan in a low voice. A man-and-woman duo called FNC Gods was against two of the SEVENTEEN rappers under the names Yankee and Giant. "Mingyu's like, super tall, so he stands out in a crowd anyway. He even uses the name 'Giant'.

"Vernon's not exactly subtle either. His voice is super distinct, plus he uses English so much. It's a dead giveaway," Yugyeom continued after yawning. "And their dynamic isn't the best. Mingyu usually does these things with Wonwoo, and Vernon mostly does solo battles."

Everything Yugyeom said seemed to hold true, Byeongkwan noted as he continued watching. FNC Gods were way more in sync with each other, while Mingyu could have difficulty following after Vernon. Each verse they did rap, however, had a punch to it.

Jinwoo didn't seem to mind the younger idols saying any rapper's name or group since they were staying relatively quiet. He also seemed invested in the battle at hand.

The night had been flowing seamlessly. Each duo would finish up, and the MC would let the crowd decided the winners. Byeongkwan expected more spontaneous battles.

"Is it always this... Organized?" Byeongkwan directed the question mostly at Jinwoo.

Jinwoo shrugged. "A lot of matches are scheduled, though there's usually more than a few one-on-one challenges. Doesn't seem to be anyone looking for a fight tonight."

"How about we change that?" A different, deeper voice spoke.

Byeongkwan looked forward to see a rapper place a clear glass on their table with a light _clink_. Nothing about his appearance could be seen, aside from sharp eyes peeking out between a hat brim and face mask. They were the same eyes as earlier, and they were staring straight through Byeongkwan.

Jinwoo had turned his attention at the arrival of the stranger, eyes round. Yugyeom barely registered his presence, too busy rubbing his eyes, but jumped when he did.

"You're new," was all he said. Byeongkwan nodded and saw his eyes crinkle a bit in a smile. "A rookie, huh?" He almost muttered.

"Gloss," he gestured to himself. Something about the name sounded familiar. From the reactions of both Jinwoo and Yugyeom freezing up, clearly it carried weight around here. Byeongkwan couldn't put his finger on where he knew it from though.

"I'm Jason," Byeongkwan said, then instantly caught himself. Fuck, he wasn't supposed to use his stage name! He tried backtracking. "Uh, I mean, I'm-"

"Jason," Gloss tested the name. Byeongkwan felt Yugyeom grip his arm as if the younger's life depended on it. "You a rapper?"

Byeongkwan, dumbly, nodded again at Gloss's question. Maybe it was due to the rapper's intimidating confidence, the air around him tense with anticipation. The answer seemed to satisfy him, as he gave a deep chuckle in response. Any noise from the crowd or blaring speakers became white noise to Byeongkwan. Gloss lifted his hand from the glass he had placed, pointing at Byeongkwan, and he spoke again.

"I challenge-"

"Gloss, I challenge you!" Yugyeom suddenly shouted, cutting off Gloss.

The next few moments moved in slow motion. Yugyeom had stood up from his seat, holding Gloss in a stare down as the entire club grew quiet. All eyes in the room were now on Yugyeom and Gloss, as if everyone was collectively holding their breath. Even the MC and finished contestants had stopped to wait and see what happened.

' _Are all challenges this serious?_ ' Byeongkwan wondered.

Gloss held Yugyeom's determined stare. He titled his head a little. "Challenge accepted."

Gasps and tense murmurs broke out through the crowd. The MC loudly declared they had their first challenge of the night and called both idols to the stage.

Yugyeom walked away from the table, head held high, trying to not to stumble thanks to his still tipsy state. Gloss followed suit, throwing a final glance at Byeongkwan and Jinwoo before he turned away. The crowd parted around them, in awe and disbelief, before Byeongkwan vaguely heard wagers being offered, or random chatter returning.

"Holy shit, Yugyeom's going to die," Jinwoo seemed to have found his voice once the two were gone.

"Hey, Yugyeom's a pretty decent rapper," Byeongkwan countered. "Plus it's a good chance to see him freestyle! Have a little faith."

Jinwoo's eyes were round as he faced Byeongkwan. "You don't recognize Gloss, do you?"

"I... No, not really. The name does ring a bell, but I don't know him," Byeongkwan admitted.

"You will," Jinwoo said with finality, and eyed the stage with concern. Byeongkwan didn't like how that sounded. He paid attention to the stage again, where Yugyeom and Gloss stood across from each other, MC between them.

Now that Byeongkwan was getting a proper look at him, Gloss was short. He couldn't have been any taller than himself or Jinwoo, for that matter. And he seemed to slouch quite a bit. He wore a heavy, dark coat that made him both seem even smaller but also intimidating. A black bucket hat and plain mask hid most of his hair and face. Yugyeom, by comparison, stood tall and confidently, leaning on one leg. His bright hair was peeking out slightly from Byeongkwan's borrowed hat in contrast to the black material. He twirled the mic in his hand playfully while Gloss held his loosely by his side.

The MC made them introduce themselves by their chosen names. The crowd cheered loudly in response to both. The MC called for the DJ and awaited their start.

The quick beat pulsed through the speakers, and Byeongkwan felt it deep in his stomach. The entire club seemed on the edge of their seat, just waiting to see how this would play out. Jinwoo was nervously biting at his nails and Byeongkwan gripped the table.

"Children first," Gloss said into his mic snidely.

"Ah, but gotta respect the elderly," Yugyeom sniped right back informally. The audience gasped at this the same time Jinwoo did. "Please, _hyung_ , I insist."

Sharp comments outside of verses was certainly a first for the night. Would this be considered trash talking? Byeongkwan was almost impressed by Yugyeom's cocky attitude. Almost.

Gloss shrugged, as if he didn't care for Yugyeom's blatant disrespect. The MC had ducked out by now, leaving only the two of them on the stage.

Gloss took a deep inhale. Then he raised his mic.

Byeongkwan couldn't look away. From the first word, the entire crowd was just as focused on only Gloss. He was sharp, precise, tearing through verse after verse with almost no pause. Every word, every phrase was meant to tear Yugyeom apart and build himself up, words carrying a weight that couldn't be ignored. The younger could barely react, let alone find an opportunity to counter the onslaught of Gloss's verse. He stepped closer and closer to Yugyeom, voice raising with each verse, as if daring him to even try. To make him regret challenging him. He was in Yugyeom's face (as close as he could get with the height difference), spitting fire at superhuman speed. Something about the scene seemed familiar.

Gloss's voice was so distinct and his style raised red flags to Byeongkwan. He knew him from somewhere, but where? Famous idol rapper, senior, with such a striking rapping style. Someone idols like Jinwoo or Yugyeom would recognize and respect (mostly), someone with a high reputation for his craft.

And then it clicked. _Gloss. Underground rapper._

"Holy shit," Byeongkwan couldn't speak above a whisper. "That's Suga. That's _Min fucking Yoongi_."

"Yeah," Jinwoo sucked in a sharp breath, unable to look away from the current public execution.

"Yugyeom's _fucked_."

"Yeah."

Gloss, Suga, Agust D, _whatever he was known as,_ gave a growl into his last verse, swearing up an even faster string of words that concluded it all. He was nearly pressed against Yugyeom, who just stared in terror at the shorter rapper.

"So, kid," Gloss panted out and stepped away. Byeongkwan could physically see Yugyeom begin to breathe again. "Got anything to say?"

Yugyeom just kept staring, silent.

Then, the giant maknae clapped his hands over his mouth, running off the stage. His mic fell unceremoniously to the ground where he was standing. Byeongkwan was certain he wasn't imaging the faint sounds of Yugyeom emptying whatever was in his stomach backstage. The club heard it, too, as most people winced. Jinwoo immediately rose from the table, telling Byeongkwan to stay put, before hurrying off to tend to Yugyeom.

Gloss didn't even laugh at the sight, just shook his head, as if disappointed. "Kids nowadays," he muttered against the mic before facing the crowd. "So anyone else ballsy enough to take me on instead?"

Byeongkwan tried ducking his head. He did not need to be targeted by one Min Yoongi, thank you very much.

When no one rose up to Gloss's challenge, his eyes narrowed. "Thought so."

He walked off stage casually and back into the lively crowd. Byeongkwan saw his bucket hat amongst the taller idols before he completely vanished into it.

Byeongkwan leaned back in his seat. He got to see BTS' Suga live and unhinged. That was something he would never forget. Gloss's drink glass still sat in the center of the table, ice long since melted, leaving it purely clear. A few minutes passed of Byeongkwan just zoning out to the sounds of the reinvigorated crowd.

Someone then tapped on his shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. Byeongkwan jumped a foot in the air at the contact. Turning to whoever it was getting his attention showed it was just Jinwoo returning with a pale looking Yugyeom. The youngest looked completely flushed and sluggish, and had Jinwoo's arm tucked under his own to support him.

Jinwoo sighed and hiked Yugyeom further up his arm. "I think it's about time we called it a night. We've all had our fun. But I'd rather not get killed by Yugyeom's hyungs for getting him wasted and then torn apart publicly by Gloss, yeah?"

"Sounds fine by me," Byeongkwan lightly laughed, feeling a tad more at ease. "Let's get you home, 'Gyeomie."

Yugyeom mumbled something but just rested his head against Jinwoo's shoulder. Byeongkwan navigated around the table to help Jinwoo support his weight. With an arm over each shoulder, they began making their way towards the entrance. Byeongkwan wondered if he should call one of his hyungs, or if they should just take another cab.

A sudden bright flash in the crowd made Byeongkwan's eyes squint. Was someone... Taking pictures?

He rubbed at his sore eyes. Then he heard someone shriek.

" _Paparazzi!_ "

Everything went insane at the utter of that simple word. Idols began scattering, pulling up masks and coat collars to hide themselves further. People were shoving, shouting, the stomping of feet making everything feel like it was shaking. The music cut off along with half the lights, blanketing the chaos in darkness. Jinwoo swore under his breath, tugging the other two in a completely different direction than the exit, and Byeongkwan had no choice but to just follow him. He seemed to know what he was doing. Jinwoo had warned for paparazzi, so clearly he was prepared for this.

Jinwoo navigated through the various idols heading the same way and lead Byeongkwan towards the backstage area.

Byeongkwan noticed a similar door to the entrance in the backstage, wide open with the other rappers filtering out of. Jinwoo seemed to be dragging them towards it. It lead to a similar metal stairwell also, and Byeongkwan recognized the street as only a block away from where they'd entered. It had gotten darker out, the only real light source being from street lamps and store signs. Jinwoo stopped and looked around, breathing heavily. Yugyeom whimpered a little and tried leaning on eldest more.

"I, I'm not sure what street this is," Jinwoo then said. Oh. So he wasn't used to doing this. That was probably for the better, just not at the moment.

Byeongkwan decided to take the lead from there, pulling Yugyeom and Jinwoo down the mostly empty streets. They passed a couple restaurants and eccentric shops. Then Byeongkwan saw what might've been heaven: a convenience store.

The trio rushed in and Byeongkwan beelined the magazine display to hide. Ducking behind it, Byeongkwan made Jinwoo and Yugyeom follow his actions, and gestured for them to be quiet. With the three of them crouched and hidden, they waited for the noise of idols' and paparazzi's footsteps. They only heard their own breathing and the light music over the store speakers for a bit.

"I think... We lost them," Byeongkwan went limp against Yugyeom, who groaned in relief.

"Y-yeah," Jinwoo gulped another thing of air. "We're good."

They let their breathing steady, still sitting on the floor against the magazines. Byeongkwan was certain the store clerk was watching the oddly dressed and behaving men, but he couldn't care right now.

Yugyeom giggled between the older idols, breaking the quiet.

Byeongkwan poked at him. "Hey, what's so funny?"

"I vomited after being destroyed by Suga in front of everyone who's anyone," Yugyeom kept giggling like it was the funniest thing ever. "I've destroyed any chance of being able to show myself there again. Oh my god, Jungkook won't believe he missed that."

"You're so drunk," Jinwoo chuckled beside him.

"If it helps any, I'm pretty sure he was aiming to battle me originally," Byeongkwan mused. Gloss - Suga? - had caught his eye and approached their table curious of _him_. Byeongkwan shudders at the thought of going against a senior he admired so much if Yugyeom hadn't stepped in.

Yugyeom gave a high pitched laugh, legs kicking wildly. "You're right! He would've destroyed you!"

Even Jinwoo couldn't hold back his laughter. "No offense, Kwannie, but he would've."

"Anyone who had to go against him would've gotten just as screwed over, thank you very much," Byeongkwan shoved Yugyeom into Jinwoo. They just laughed louder at the physical aggression, tangling together into a giggling mess. "Well, fuck you guys too, then." Byeongkwan's fake pouting cracked into a smile.

"Ahh, you love us," Yugyeom slung an arm around Byeongkwan and pulled him into a side hug and hiccuped. "You would've, would've never gotten to see the underground if it weren't for me."

"Hey, brat, we had to drag your drunken ass to and from there," Jinwoo grabbed a magazine from the rack and hit the maknae over the head. Yugyeom yelped and glared at the oldest.

Yugyeom pounced on Jinwoo, who shrieked in surprise. Byeongkwan armed himself with a fashion magazine and attacked the both of them.

Byeongkwan doesn't remember how long they lasted, throwing magazines and themselves at each other before the store manager not so politely told the roughhousing men to leave. He doesn't remember who dragged who's laughing selves out of the store, too wrapped up in their collective silliness to care. He doesn't remember his phone ringing and buzzing in his pocket, notifying him of missed calls and questions of ' _Where are you?_ '.

He does remember how warm Yugyeom and Jinwoo felt pressed against his body as they ushered a cab. He remembers the entire ride back, with Yugyeom sharing drunken stories of his own group, while Jinwoo talked about more disastrous nights at the underground than Byeongkwan's first. Sometimes their stories correlated and they switched between retelling the same event, like when BamBam tried starting a freestyle dance battle instead or rapping, or when Rocky had nearly gotten into a fight with a paparazzi photographer. He remembers the very different laughs Jinwoo and Yugyeom had, his own mixed in the middle. He remembers middle school dance practices with all of them, of sneaking snacks to each other behind the instructor's back. He remembers years of training to be an idol, always striving to do better, always wondering when they would get _their_ chance. They all remembered and shared and laughed.

Maybe that's all that mattered anyway.

_

Junhee gave a yawn, digging through the fridge for something sweet. He'd slept a lot longer than he'd intended, and most of the members had retreated to their rooms for the night. He wasn't sure of the exact time, but it was pretty late by now. The kitchen was barely illuminated by the faint glow of the fridge. Locating his coveted strawberry yogurt, Junhee hummed and grabbed it. He didn't even bother with a spoon, tearing off the lid and slurping the cold substance.

Junhee felt very relaxed in that moment. Away from cameras and schedules, it was just him eating a yogurt he was positive broke his diet regimen at some late hour, the vague company of his groupmates inhabiting the shared apartment making him smile. It was a rare calm, moments like this.

A clatter came from the living room. Junhee tried and failed not to be startled by the sudden sound.

Was someone in the living room? He swore everyone had gone to bed by now.

Junhee placed his yogurt on the counter, carefully making his way through the dark apartment. The left open fridge could only brighten so much of his surroundings.

He could vaguely see someone's head over the back of the living room couch. The hair seemed... Brighter than of his member's current dyed colors. Was his eyes playing tricks on him?

Junhee rounded the couch, and took in the sight before him. Three sleeping bodies were curled up on the couch, snoring lightly. Junhee recognized Byeongkwan as the furthest from himself, curled under the arm of a much taller and skinner man that reminded Junhee of Yuchan. His hair was an obnoxious bright color and his face was lax. On his other side was someone about the same size as Byeongkwan, a little more obscured to Junhee, but he could make out his dyed hair and soft features. All three also wore face masks they'd tugged under their chins, which confused Junhee why they had been wearing them. The tallest one seems to have kicked the living room table with his outstretched legs in his sleep, causing the noise Junhee had heard, because he twitched again and tightened his grasps on the other two. The strangers looked familiar to Junhee, but he didn't know why.

Then Junhee recognized the two strangers as GOT7's Yugyeom and ASTRO's JinJin.

Junhee blinked. He rubbed his eyes, and tried processing what he was seeing again.

Yep. The giant maknae of GOT7 and leader of ASTRO were definitely on his couch, cuddling with Byeongkwan.

Junhee didn't know how to react. Why were they here? Had Byeongkwan let them in? Junhee knew Byeongkwan had gone out with friends earlier, but idol friends? Should be scream, wake up everyone, leave them be? A hundred other questions swarmed his thoughts before Junhee gave himself a light slap on the cheek. He didn't need to overthink this right now.

All Junhee knew was that he had an unfinished yogurt in the kitchen, and that he really wanted to go catch up on sleep as much as he could.

Junhee stepped closer to the young idols and found a folded up blanket at the foot of the couch. JinJin and Yugyeom were only as old as Byeongkwan and Yuchan, now that Junhee dwelled on it. Junhee thought about how much sleep more popular groups like theirs sacrificed for their even busier schedules. Probably much worse than A.C.E's own. Carefully, as to not disturb them, Junhee draped the blanket over the trio, even tucking them in slightly. He smiled to himself when he saw them cuddle closer in reaction to the warm cover, incomprehensible sleep talk being muttered. That only showed just how young, and probably exhausted, the trio truly was.

Junhee didn't see two senior idols crashing on his couch with one of his maknaes in that instant. He just saw three very tired boys sleeping peacefully together. So he decided against dealing with the 'problem' at that moment.

This was a morning Junhee problem. Night Junhee's only concern was remembering to close the fridge before going back to bed and finishing his yogurt.

So he did.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I did not expect it to get this long, but I had a lot of fun writing it~ What was your favorite part? Did you catch all the references and cameos?
> 
> Special shout out to @ace-kingdom on Tumblr, for reviewing of the story while I still writing and encouraging me to continue! I love you Leeeeeee <3
> 
> Catch me on my A.C.E Tumblr: @wowed-by-ace
> 
> I hope you have a fantastic day!


End file.
